Abstract
The development of the legend of Zhong Kui can be traced in considerable detail from the Tang dynasty onward. As a demon-chaser Zhong Kui came to play a major role in the Nuo ceremonies of New Year’s Eve. This article presents a complete translation of a script for such a Nuo ceremony at the palace of the Prince of Zhou in the early decades of the fifteenth century composed as a zaju play by Zhu Youdun 1379-1439). The play, here translated in full, not only provides a lively picture of the Nuo ceremony itself, but also provides a discussion of the nature of Zhong Kui’s divinity, a god without any temple or festival in his honor.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-34 |
Number of pages | 34 |
Journal | Journal of Chinese Religions |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2016 |
Keywords
- Door gods
- Fu lu shou xianguan qinghui
- Nuo ceremony
- Zhong kui
- Zhu youdun
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Religious studies